Past and present
by KelticDream13
Summary: next generation of Lancer gets into trouble like their father Johnny
1. Default Chapter

Past and Present  
  
The young men were in front of the saloon, watching people go about their business in town. They were holding beers and smoking cigars, none over nineteen. When one of them nudged the one next to him, and pointed across and down the street. All looked at the two young people, one girl and one boy about their age, coming out of the gunshop.  
  
" Thats Madrids'kid there."  
  
"It is? I have heard of Madrid, always wonted to be like him. Wonder if his kid is fast?"  
  
"I don't know, we will see huh?  
  
"Yeah, I will see." Smiled the pimply faced leader, with the shaggy blond hair, and the beginnings of a mustache.   
  
The three boys crossed the street and stopped blocking the way of the two young people. Both stopped and looked at the three. The young man was dark haired and blue eyes, and the girl had red hair and green eyes. Both wore side arms.   
  
"Well looky here, it's Madrids' kid. I do believe, that you are a coward, and couldn't hit the side of the barn."   
  
"Get out of the way...boy."  
  
"Oh my, you scare me, what you going to do, go get your daddy?"  
  
"Don't need him."  
  
The three moved and spread out, and waited. Lancer just stood, calmly facing them. A lot of the father in this one, plain to see to the old timers who watched and whispered. But the three didn't know it, or understand. The leader looked at his two friends, a smirk on his face.  
  
"Well little Madrid, show me what you have. You could always just go up to my room with me for a little fun. I might forget this, you sure are pretty."  
  
"I'd rather kiss a jackass as you."  
  
The three went for their guns and Valenas' gun was out and firing. The first bullet hit the big mouth leader and he dropped to the hard dry dirt.As she fell and rolled as she fanned the hammer, firing at the two remaining boys. They fired at her, dirt kicked up around her, and one bystander got one in the leg. She caught one in the shoulder, and he dropped his gun, and ran off. The third fired and clipped her thigh, and she fired and watched the hole form in his chest and the blood that welled up and flowed down his shirt. His eyes rolled up into his head and he feel backwards like a log. Valena slowly got to her feet. She looked around at the boys. Her face pale.Mike walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulders, as the witnesses to the gunfight, moved to stand over the body and talk about the next Madrid. She was diffinently her parents daughter.  
  
At the ranch, Murdock was sitting in his favorite chair, and Scott in the other. Watching Johnny pace the floor and getting madder by the moment. Murdock ran his hand through his white hair, and wished his son would calm down. He looked at Scott and saw Scott sitting calmly and watching his brother.  
  
Johnny walked over to the pictures on the table, and picked one up. He stood looking at it for a time. Then forgetting he wasn't alone he spoke to it."Sarah honey, I miss you. If only you were here, you could tell me what to do about our daughter. Valena was in a gunfight today! She is stubern, and hotheaded, and..." He smiled then, remembering."shes our daughter." He turned and put the picture back down as he heard the door.  
  
"Hold it right there young lady!" He voice showing his anger at his daughter. She came to him, knowing from his expression that he had heard already. She looked up at her father, into that face she loved so, it had not changed in the years since she was born. He was still a lady killeer, but he still loved her mom, though she had passed away six years before.  
  
"Yes dad?"  
  
"What were you doing in town getting into a gunfight?"  
  
"I didn't go to town to get into a gunfight, I didn't start it, I just finished it."  
  
"If you weren't wearing that gun, it wouldn't have happened."  
  
"No, but what would have happened would have been worse. One of them wonted to take me to his room."  
  
"He what!" Where is that boy?" Johnnys' eyes flashed fire.  
  
"He's dead, dad." She reached out and hugged her dad, and he put his arms around her and held her close. He was afraid he would lose her, his only girl.Scott got up and came over.  
  
"Valena, can your favorite uncle have a hug too?" Valena turned and smiled.  
  
"You're my only uncle silly." She hugged him and was glad she had family who loved her. Even though dad was overly protective.  
  
Continued  



	2. Past and present

Past and Present

Johnny glanced down and saw the blood on his daughters' pants leg, and he drew in a breath. He took her arm and sat her down on the sofa."Now young lady, I wont to know what happened to you? How bad is it?" 

"It's just a crease dad, I am fine." She started to get up and saw her brother and cousin coming in the french doors. A repreve? That question was quickly answered. Scott looked at the boys and motioned them to sit. Cautiously they sat.

" Valena, I have talked to you about this before, you know what happened to me, and your mother. It's not something I won't my daughter to go through, and I know your mother would be upset about this. She once thought it was fun and a game. Cause the way her father painted it for her. But once you get into your first gunfight, then you are branded, cause you are the daughter of a gunfighter, and not just one buy two. People don't forget. The town will be talking for a long time. They will say you are like me.People may come looking for you.I say this out of love for you, baby."

"I love you daddy, you are the best. But I can't change what happened. You taught me how to use the gun, I only protected myself. Jimmy stood there, he didn't do anything." All heads turned to the young man with the dark hair and blue eyes. He squirmed under the scrutiny.

"Jimmy, you didn't try to help your sister? What did I tell you about that? Family looks out for family. I am ashamed of you. Get to your room, I'll be up in a minute." Jimmy looked at his grandfather and uncle, no help there.

"But Pa, you said stay out of trouble. Besides you know I am not that good with a gun. You should have seen Valena, she was something. If had been a fist fight I could have done something." He bowed his head and headed dragging his feet to the stairs.

Scott turned to his son, Martin. "I didn't do anything dad, I wasn't there." Scott smiled at his boy.

"I know that boy, I am not mad at you. Have you seen your cousin Jesse?"

"No, I thought he was working on the corral today." Scott looked at Johnny. Whom nodded at him.

Johnny turned to Valena, and his voice softened and his expression was loving. Valena reached out and kissed him on the cheek."I hope this will die down, and people will forget. For a month no going into town.Except for church with the family."

Valena got up and left the room. Three sets of eyes followed her. Murdock handed out three glasses of whiskey. All three men sat down, and drank quietly. Murdock looked over at the large picture taken years ago of his kids, their wives and his grandchildren. Now they were three men raising four kids alone. Scotts wife had died of a fever, over four years ago, and Johnnys had died five years before in a shoot out trying to protect the family, while Johnny was gone.. He loved his family dearly, and enjoyed having them all under the same roof again. What he had missed with his own sons, he had found with his grandchildren. Now the past was raising its ugly head again, the next generation was following the same road of its elders.

_**Scott caught the direction of his fathers' look. He too took in the family picture. He missed Melissa, and with her a part of his soul died with her. The only thing kept him going was his son Martin. A handsome boy with his hair, and his mothers brown eyes, and her nose. He loved that boy. Then there was his father and brother, and a niece and nephews too. **_

Johnny too had drawn into memories of the past. His Sarah whom he had loved so.She was his other half. They had a lot in common and not just the gun either. She could match his temper, though she was mostly soft spoken and gentle and had a laugh that brightened any room. She had never wonted to return to the south, her home. She had told him, her home was where ever he was. Once he had gotten mad at Murdock and wonted to leave, she began to pack and said, she'd go anywhere with him. Mansion or shack it didn't matter. As long as he was there. For her home was in his arms. He would love her forever, one day he would join her. Valena was the exact image of her mother, a beautiful reminder of Sarah.

Jesse came in the door, and looked at his elders sitting quietly, and he threw his hat on the table and announced in a loud voice."I'm home!" All eyes turned to him.

"You know better than to yell, young man."

"Yes sir granddad." 

"Where have you been?" Jesse turned and looked at his father. Johnny wasn't smiling.\

"I was out practicing with my gun. I saw a new gun in town I really wont."

"First Valena and now you. You planning on being a gunfighter too?"

"What would be wrong with that? You and mom were. You survived and was good at it."

" Damn it Jesse, it's not the life for either of kids. Your mother and I were lucky, and then we got out of it. Otherwise we would have died. Gunfighters don't have a long life span. Have you forgotten how your mother died?" Jesse hung his head, and his eyes misted. Johnny looked at his son, and went and put a hand on his shoulder. Jesse looked up.This boy his second born was like him in appearence and personality, and he couldn't sit still for a second.

"I am sorry dad, but I wont to follow my dreams, just as you did." 

"What's wrong with being a rancher?"

"Nothing dad, but not for awhile. I know I will always have a home here. But I won't to make my own way for a while." Johnny knew his young son, would if he had his heart set on this he would do it. 

"I won't you to think about it for a while give it six months, but if you do, I will be here for you." Jesse smiled at his father and went to the kitchen, to look for cookies.

Trouble was brewing in town, in fact it had ridden into town in the form of four men, who were looking for trouble and knew with whom they wonted to find it with. The leader was tall, his thinning dark hair, blew in the wind, and his salt and pepper whiskers were shaggy. His eyes like a pig. The man stopped in front of the livery and started talking to the livery owner, the man reluctanly answered, pointing out the direction for the men.

Continued..........


	3. Past and present pt 3

Past And Present

  
  


Johnny walked up to his brother by the corral, Scott stood looking at the horses, lost in

another time. He put a hand out and placed it on his brothers' shoulder, who turned and

smiled at his dark-haired brother.

  
  


"Hey Boston, wont to take a ride, I was thinking of a little fishing, with my favorite

brother." 

  
  


" I guess I could find the time little brother, take time from all this hard work I am

doing right now." Scott put his hand out and gently patted his brothers'cheek. The two walked

into the barn to saddle their horses. 

  
  


"I'll get you for that, you little devil. You will need your diaper changed after this."

Her cousin out of breath, spoke."Oh, think so you tom-boy?" Valena punched him in the

nose, and he grabbed it, and her hair. She promptly bite him.

"Ow dang it!" He hit her in the chest, and she bent slightly and then straightened and came

up with a uppercut right to his chin, he feel back into the dirt beside the house. His teeth had

popped, and he bit his tongue. He jumped up and tackled her. The two were rolling around in

the dirt, until a gruff voice spoke up.

  
  


"That's enough from both of you!" Both looked up to see their grandfather looking very

stern and angry. Both let go of the other and stood. "Now, what is this all about?"

  
  


"He called me a tom-boy, and called me Vince." 

  
  


"Well she is, and she even likes guns. What lady does that?"

  
  


"Why you, little..." She hit him again in the eye. "My mom was a lady gunfighter. Take

that back or I'll..." Murdock grabbed his feisty granddaughter around the waist. 

  
  


"That's enough, you can't fight your cousin, or your brothers."

  
  


"Why not? I can lick em, any day." Murdock picked her up and shook her.

  
  


"Would you like your father to tan your britches?"

  
  


" Don't tell him, okay granddad."She looked up at him with those eyes, and felt himself

losing the battle. "I don't wont him to get mad at me, disappoint him."

  
  


"I know you don't dear." He hugged her then, and turned to his grandson."As for you 

young man, you don't hit girls, what did your dad say about that?"

  
  


"He said don't hit the girls at school, she's my cousin, and a tom-boy."

  
  


"That's enough of that too, your father will have a word with you later about this. Now

until dinner, you will go and cut wood for the woodbox."

  
  


"Okay granddad." Martin spoke in a soft voice and turned away. He dared not turn and

stick his tongue out at that little cousin of his. 

  
  


Murdock turned to Valena. He put his arm around her and led her to the house. She was

so much like her mother, and yet her father was in her strongly too. Never a dull moment,

what he had almost missed all those years ago. Not that Johnny had really ever tamed that

wild side completely. He still could keep up with the kids, Scott taught the kids a lot about the

world and manners, and books. But Johnny had taught them to survive, guns,and

tracking.While the kids had taught him how to love, and show affection, and have fun.

  
  


Down at the fishing hole the two brothers had caught a string of fish. It had been a good

afternoon, just the two of them, as it rarely was now days. They had been the glue that held the

other together each time would lost their beloved wife. The bond had strengthened over the

years. 

  
  


Jesse was home practicing with his forty five, by the barn. He was getting faster, and he

thought to himself, soon he would be the fastest gun around. People would speak of him as

they once did his father. He turned his back to the cans he used as targets and stood, when he

saw his sister coming. Oh great, she would wont to practice too, or challenge him. He loved

his sister, but wonted to be the best, not second to her, or his father.

  
  


Valena walked over and saw all the shot up cans on the ground. She was wearing her gun,

just like her moms. "Jesse, mind if I join you?"

"I guess you can, for a few minutes." He turned on his heel and rapidly drew and fired,

he hoped to impress his sister. When he turned she smiled.

  
  


"Not bad brother. Mind if I try?" She began to walk away then turned and fired. He had to

admit to jealousy and admiration of his sister. "How's that?"

  
  


"I guess it's not bad, for a girl." He looked at her a moment. " I heard what happened to

you in town. What was it like? Were you afraid?"

  
  


"I was afraid, but I couldn't walk away, they wouldn't let me. I was scared and excited

at the same time when I began the shootout and I wondered later if this is what our parents

felt when they did it."

  
  


"I wouldn't be afraid. I wish I had been there with you instead of Jimmy. He is so bad,

he can't even hit the sky, while aiming up."

  
  


"Well he's lucky he has us to protect him." She began to reload her forty five, and so did

he. They were beginning a contest when their father and uncle rode up. Scott and Johnny sat

and watched. Scott smiled and it brought back memories of a younger Johnny Madrid. 

  
  


Johnny watched with pride and something akin to fear. He knew they could take care of

themselves, and had his ability with a gun. But he also saw the pitfalls for his kids. He wonted

to protect them from themselves. That and one day repeating that terrible day five years ago,

when he had come home and found the battle over, and his wife lay on the ground, her blood

pouring out along with the vitality that was Sarah.He was there in that place and time. He had

held her, his heart wonting to stop with hers. She opened her eyes and smiled, and her voice

soft and light as the wind. "I tried Johnny. I stopped them, our family is safe. I love you, and I

don't wont to leave you. Heaven has nothing I won't. She had kissed his lips one last time.

Her husbands tears falling like rain onto her face. She looked up at Scott, and with her dying

breath, ask him to take care of his brother for her. Then she took a deep breath and was gone.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, he didn't wont that to happen to them.

  
  


Both kids looked up as they fired the last round, and saw their audience. "Hi dad. What

are you doing? Who did you bet on?"

  
  


" Jesse, I wasn't betting on either. Come on boy, it's time for dinner. Help me with the

horses." Jesse moved over to them, and Valena stood watching. "Oh yeah, you can take the

fish to be cleaned." Valena curled up her lips.

  
  


"No thanks, dad, I hate their smell, and I ain't eating them either."

  
  


"You aren't eating them, young lady." Spoke Scott.

  
  


" See Uncle Scott says I don't have to eat them either." She smiled and ran off towards

the house, as both men laughed. Jesse smiled as he watched his sister.

  
  


The next morning Jesse and valena had disappeared, and so had Jimmy no one

knew where they had disappeared. What they didn't know was that Jimmy had run into a lot

of trouble. He had been grabbed by some men who wonted a ransom. His siblings had

intercepted the note, and decided to rescue him themselves. Leaving the note with one of the

hands, to give to the family in two hours.They had armed themselves and rode off.

  
  


Contin.... 

  
  
  
  



End file.
